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Chocolate Bark with Cardamom and Sea Salt, Apricots and Pistachios

By Deborah Madison, from the Deborah Madison collection

Introduction

This recipe comes from Deborah Madison’s forthcoming Desserts from Farm, Garden, and Orchard. It makes a 10-by-6-inch slab of bark.

Ingredients

	5	oz. bittersweet chocolate (70-percent cacao), chopped into chunks
	½	tsp. cardamom seeds, toasted in a dry skillet until fragrant
	3	Tbsp. Red Flame raisins or dried apricots, cut into small pieces
	2 to 3	Tbsp. salted green pistachios, some left whole, some cut into large pieces
	~	Fleur de sel (sea salt)

Steps

Line a large flat dish or baking tin (about 10 by 8 inches) with a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper.
Put the chocolate and cardamom seeds in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. When the chocolate has melted, stir in half the fruit and pistachios.
Spread the mixture over the foil or paper in a thin sheet, then press the remaining fruits and nuts lightly into the warm chocolate. Sprinkle lightly with the salt.
Refrigerate until the bark has set, about an hour.
To serve, break the bark into pieces. Store any extra bark in the refrigerator in a covered container or waxed-paper bag. It will keep well for a few weeks, if it lasts that long.

Notes

Culinate editor’s note: Don’t have the exact nuts or fruit called for? Try other fruit-and-nut combos, such as the trio used by Oregon chocolatier Petits Noirs for their mendiants, or “beggars”: dark chocolate decorated with whole pistachios, diced Calmyrna figs, and fennel seeds.

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There are 7 comments on this item

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57% recommend this recipe

1. by Joy the Baker on Dec 19, 2008 at 10:50 AM PST

What a fantastic flavor combination!

2. by riceoflife on Dec 19, 2008 at 11:31 AM PST

Thanks Deborah for another great recipe. I love the idea of putting cardamom in this dish. I’ve got to try making this!

It’s also interesting that I ran into your post today. I just posted a dish I made from one of your recipes on my blog, Rice of Life. Thx again!

3. by Cory on Jan 5, 2009 at 7:29 PM PST

I made this for our holiday open house, and it was perfect (and devoured) for the occasion. The cardamon seeds added nice crunch and flavor along with the pistachios. It’s also a pretty bark, too. Thanks!

4. by meredith sobel on Jan 24, 2009 at 7:57 PM PST

amazing, i have no other words! i made it for a cooking class - they loved it, i loved it. it was better than cats.

5. by Deborah Madison on Jan 27, 2009 at 11:52 AM PST

Thank you ALL of you for your enthusiastic responses to the Chocolate Bark.
Do try the cardamom seeds in it if you haven’t —they’re extra-special and a bit surprising.
I was in Paris over Christmas and i bought some chocolate bark and a little shop on our street that was elegant and utterly minimal —an almond here, a raisin there. Quite a contrast.
Another bark I really like a lot which is in my forthcoming book, is made with white coconut chocolate (made by Lindt) which I melt then garnish with strips of tangerine zest, pistachios,and either lavender buds or dried rose petals. It looks very festive and spring like —in fact, this would be a good version for a spring dinner—and tastes wonderful, especially if you love coconut. -- Deborah

6. by Dayang Habsahton Abang Abdillah on May 28, 2010 at 3:59 AM PDT

Simple and easy.
Plan to make this for my coming festival.
Thanks for sharing.

7. by Cooking in Mexico on Nov 29, 2010 at 12:28 PM PST

This will make a perfect Christmas treat. I am looking for more healthy bites for the holidays. This one makes the grade.

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